Pay attention to the people lifted up by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, those on whom they shine a spot light -- like the vile-speaking and sin-preaching people the ELCA placed in front of 31,000 youth this summer. (see here, here, here, here, here, here and here) or the people living out sinful lifestyles whom the ELCA advocacy featured this summer. (see here) Please note who is writing articles for the ELCA's magazine and the people they feature in ELCA publications.

​They are not orthodox, conservative, or Bible-believing Lutherans.

​This week Pastor El-Yateem was featured in the ELCA's official magazine Living Lutheran (see here and below).
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Let me tell you about Rev. Khader El-Yateem. He is radical liberal and not a friend of Israel.

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- He is quoted in a New York newspaper saying, “I support BDS. And I will say this publicly, I say it to everyone.” (See here) BDS is a Palestinian origination movement aimed at encouraging Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel.

In a moment of truth-telling, El-Yateem announced, "My church the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and I support the BDS."

(Radical Linda Sarsour, who is a friend of Rev. El-Yateem as you will see in pictures below, commented on Rev. El-Yateem's post saying BDS is "a non violent means of protest protected by the US constitution." See hereand read about Linda Sarsour here)

The BDS movement is anti-Semitism in action. This movement has no place in the Christian church, yet we have the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America supporting this movement (see here for further confirmation). Add to that Rev. Khader El-Yateem, also a high-ranking ELCA leader, is an outspoken advocate of BDS.

​- Last year, Rev. El-Yateem offered housing to Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) staff when the United States spoke of closing the PLO mission in the nation's capital. (see here) If you are not aware, the PLO has a long history of terrorism against Israelis. (See here)
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Here are some of other anti-Israel social media posts by Rev. El-Yateem. Two years ago, the ELCA pastor shared this post, a radical message to and about both Israel and the United States.

Below is what Pastor El-Yateem believes and thinks. History says otherwise.

In the following Facebook post, ELCA leader Khader El-Yateem says, "the Israeli soldiers have no respect for human life or law." Notice the rocks being thrown at the soldiers in the video he shared.

Below, the ELCA pastor expresses delight with President Obama's betrayal of Israel.
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​Next Khader El-Yateem shows his displeasure with a new Israeli law allowing BDS advocates to be banned from Israel. He could and should be one of those banned from ever going to the Jewish state.

Did you know Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Rev. Khader El-Yateem is a socialist?

- While running for a political office a few years ago, ELCA pastor El-Yateem said, "I want to be Trump’s worst nightmare.” That is recorded in an article about Rev. El-Yateem titled (see here) Meet the Socialist Who Hopes to Become New York’s First Arab-American Elected Official. The article goes on to say,
​"It was these progressive credentials that inspired the New York chapter of Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) to endorse El-Yateem and marshal its fervent base to volunteer on his behalf week after week, day after day. As of early September, the DSA reported that 'nearly 300' of its volunteers have participated in the El-Yateem campaign, including knocking on over 15,000 doors. And, while El-Yateem admits that some Democrats are unsure about the term 'socialism,' he is proud of the endorsement and unabashed about his socialism. 'Jesus was a socialist!' he laughs, referencing his vocation as a pastor."

A few weeks ago many Evangelical Lutheran Church in America leaders amassed at the United States and Mexico border. It was a planned attempt to garner attention. Photos were taken (mostly by ELCA people) and posted on social media by ELCA leaders and synods. Even a video surfaced of a prayer said by the wall by the ELCA's Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton where she called Jesus a refugee (a couple times) and then said,

"Bless...all that we do. That we might be a symbol of hope and hopefully of reconciliation, the tearing down of walls. We ask in Your name, Amen.” (see video below)

So while standing by the border wall/fence the ELCA leader references the "tearing down of walls?" I do not believe this was just a poor choice of words by the Presiding Bishop Eaton. It was a calculated phrase, a political call to remove the wall that stops illegal immigrants free access to come into our country unchecked. How do I know this? Because the ELCA has been against the US border wall all along. (see here) What an unsafe, extreme position for a denomination to take, being against the securing of our country's borders.

On a related note, the ELCA has an advocacy page name "Peace Not Walls" that refers to the protection wall built by Israel. And in 2005 the ELCA passed a resolution calling for it to be removed. (see here)

Did you know that the leadership of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is not fond of the border fence between the United States and Mexico, a fence which effectively diminishes the amount of illegal aliens entering our country? Here is what the ELCA leadership has said about it:

“Finally, the ELCA calls for a moratorium on and a comprehensive assessment of fence building along the United States-Mexican border.” Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America - November 2009. (read here)

ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson told 30,000 kids at the 2012 ELCA Youth Gathering “. . . I didn’t want us (the ELCA) to be associated with people that are building up the walls that separate immigrants and migrants, for we are a church committed to working toward fair and just immigration reform.” (see here, Sunday video)

In 1998, the ELCA said, “. . . we have serious doubts about the rightness and effectiveness of current policy to erect imposing barriers between the United States and Mexico.” (read here)

The ELCA’s magazine, The Lutheran reported in 2005, that “Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service opposed the REAL ID Act, a bill to regulate state security standards for driver’s licenses, prevent terrorists from abusing asylum laws and to ensure a security fence along the U.S.-Mexico border.” (read here)

The Lutheran magazine wrote in 2007, “Extending this U.S.-Mexican border wall the full 2,000 miles will require an estimated $8 billion. Kim Erno, an ELCA pastor and program director of the Lutheran Center in Mexico City, asked participants of an ELCA conference on walls whether that money would be better invested in the lives of the poor.” (read here)

If you are an ELCA member who does not support the U.S-Mexico border fence, then this should make you happy. But if you do support the border fence, I believe it is your right to know that your denomination is against it and working to prevent its completion.